What is Cosplay America?

Cosplay America is not an anime convention. It’s also not affiliated with long-time cosplay photographer and blogger Cosplay IN America (though they appreciate his work!). Cosplay America (CosAm for short) is one of the few conventions in the country dedicated entirely to the craft of cosplay. This three day crafting extravaganza hosted each June in Cary, NC creates a space for cosplayers and cosplay enthusiasts to gather and learn. It is an educational event with a focus on providing opportunities for cosplayers to learn new techniques through panels and workshops hosted by experts in their fields.

In advance of this year’s 10th anniversary event we spoke with Su Song, Director and Founder of CosAm to discover what inspired her to start the project. Surprisingly Su is not a cosplayer herself. With decades of experience running anime conventions (she volunteered at Katsucon 1 in 1995, worked as a translator for Anime Boston and Otakon, and was a founding staff member of Animazement in Raleigh), she has always appreciated the craft of cosplay. After leaving Animazement she wanted to become a cosplayer herself and thought there would be no better way than to invite experts to come and teach their skills in person. Over a decade later she is still just as enthralled by cosplay as an art despite not having become a cosplayer herself. “In that way, the con is a failed personal project because I still haven’t made a single cosplay”, Su laughed. But regardless, she likes the community of learning, sharing, growing and challenging each other that has sprung up around CosAm. “And,” she added, “I think my skill is in organizing the event”.

When CosAm started it more closely resembled an anime convention due to Su’s background in that space. However, Su also modeled the event on the format of a business conference. Over the past decade the event has eliminated many of its anime con elements to tailor its programming to support the convention’s three goals. The first is education, supported by the panels, demonstrations and workshops given at the event. The second goal is networking within the community, supported by interaction with the cosplay guests that Su invites as well as a Gala given on Saturday evening of the con. Finally, the goal of personal growth for attendees, supported by the craftsmanship contest hosted each year which challenges crafters to meet deadlines and improve their skills. “If it doesn’t support one of these goals, it gets cut,” explains Su.

There are specific criteria that Su looks for when selecting guests to teach at CosAm. Social media following is not a consideration. The number one factor is a guest’s knowledge and ability, and their willingness to teach that knowledge. “Some people treat their cosplay skills as trade secrets that can’t be shared, which just means they aren’t a good fit for us,” explained Su. She tries to select guests with varying skill sets to represent the depth and breadth of cosplay as an art, often following their work online for a while before reaching out. Cosplay America also used to invite multiple international guests as a way to represent some of the many different ways cosplay is seen in other countries, though this is no longer possible due to increased costs.

Hands-on workshops are at the core of CosAm’s programming. Su says she has always been a hands-on learner and therefore designed the con from the perspective of how she would want to be taught. However, Su only provides guidance when it comes to selecting subjects that are taught at CosAm - each instructor suggests and designs their own programming. When CosAm started in 2014 it was a two day event with only one or two workshops. Now it runs for three days (June 20-22 for 2025) and is packed completely full! With almost 200 hours of programming, including 32 crafting workshops, CosAm is well worth checking out. Preview the full schedule and register at https://www.cosplayamerica.com/.